The Atlanta Business Chronicle reports that three EMCS, Cobb, Flint Energies, and Sawnee, have signed on to buy solar energy generated electricity that will be sold by the Southern Company. The new facility will be built on 911 acres in Taylor County, and will power up to 21,000 homes. The power purchase agreements will provide clean energy to customers for 25 years.

There have been lots of naysayers about Georgia’s ability to be competitive in the solar energy market. News reports this month are putting that falsehood to rest. From Utility Dive:

Georgia has the fastest growing solar market in the country, spurred on by state and federal policies and a new focus on clean energy and its economic benefits to the state. Solar-related jobs in the state grew 225% last year, the Savannah Daily News reports.

Regulators last year directed Georgia Power, the state’s largest utility, to add 525 MW of solar power by 2016. That decision prompted new initiatives in the state to boost deployment.

New research finds Georgia attracted $666 million in private clean energy investment from 2009 to 2013 and will generate an additional $4.4 billion over the next decade.

An Associated Press article in the Raleigh News and Observer covered Plant Washington over the weekend, painting a dim picture of the long lingering proposed coal plant. The article points to the low price of natural gas and a shift away from coal by major energy suppliers including the Southern Company. The article points to a lack of funding and contracts with customers as huge obstacles that have not been overcome since the plant was announced almost eight years ago. The EPA will announce a final rule for new sources of carbon emissions in January. Plant Washington’s developer has not demonstrated to the EPA that it is in fact an existing source of carbon pollution. Local citizens Mike and Laura McAbee told the reporter, Ray Henry, that he would rather pay more for electricity if it came from cleaner energy sources. Mr McAbee told the reporter,“I just don’t want them to push things down people’s throats because someone wants to make a buck.”

Sandersville residents lost their water supply during last winter’s ice storm when the City didn’t have sufficient power to run the municipal water wells. Could a solar based bypass working off the grid solve that problem? Other communities and providers are building microgrids to avoid problems when the larger grid goes down. FACE Annual Meeting set for October 6 September 4, 2014 FACE will hold our Annual Meeting on Monday, October 6, 2014 at 7:00 pm at Minton Springs AME Church on the Mayview Road. Members and the public are encouraged to attend. We have made significant progress towards defeating Plant Washington in additional to other work that will protect the health of our families and natural resources.